She gave Sienna a smile and said, “No man in his right mind would let you get away.”
Sunday night
THE CLUB was definitely buzzing on the evening following her lunch date with Carson. They called it the Electric Tunnel for a reason, and tonight, the place was electrified with sexual energy, pulsing curiosity, and the sheer force of several hundred people seeking out a sensually charged good time. It was like a live wire inside the four walls of the club.
Tonight only more so for Sienna.
Even though it was Sunday, Sienna stayed back in her dressing room until she went onstage. Tonight was busier than usual, more like a Saturday than a Sunday, so Asher had put his foot down and insisted there would be no walking the club, definitely no peeking out in the crowd. She needed to level her emotions over Carson being out there somewhere, not heighten them, so she gave in without an argument.
Petal stopped by and mentioned the floor was packed. “Wall-to-wall people out there. Men, couples, and even a bachelorette party.”
Asher came by and said the dude in the cowboy hat was back, but they didn’t let him past the rope outside the door. In fact, they told him he wasn’t welcome anymore. Ever.
Sienna wasn’t sure if that was a relief or an omen. Why would he come back if he was asked to leave? Why did he want to find her so badly?
She didn’t have time for it.
Not going to ruin my night.
Asher also casually mentioned the guy she had asked him about a few days ago was back. “The one who sat front and center, came and went before and after your show with the black hair? Come to think of it…I think he’s the same man who spoke to you when you broke your own damn protocol and walked the club on Friday? I got an eye on him, but don’t have any details yet, doll. You okay with him being out there?”
She began to twirl a stray strand of hair and focused her attention on the floor. “Uh, Ash, I should probably tell you this now. I went on a date with him. Before you get mad, that’s what I came to chat with you about when I found Nat in your kitchen.” She didn’t dare raise her eyes.
“What? What the fuck? You went on a date and didn’t tell me? Jesus Christ, he could’ve been a scumbag, attacked you, or hurt you. You don’t know anything about this guy.” Asher paced the length of the room, anger pouring off of him, definitely making Sienna regret waiting to tell him about Carson.
“No, no. He’s not like that, but I took Mike with me both times I saw him.” She risked lifting her face.
“Both?” He stopped moving and stood over her, his hands at his waist, his expression ominous.
“Y-y-yes. Once for coffee, and earlier today for lunch. Mike tailed me, had his eyes on me the whole time. It’s all fine now. Don’t freak out! I was curious. I don’t think it’s going to be anything.” She tried a smile on him and it worked like a charm; the tension melted from his body. She knew Asher couldn’t bear to be mad at her for long.
Asher pulled Sienna in for a hug. “Oh, babe, I wish you would’ve told me. I could’ve stepped away from Natalie for a minute. But now I’m so glad you went. Making a life for yourself, that’s what you have to do.”
She breathed into his chest. “Ash, I don’t think so. I’m not ready, but this little thing was fun. Now I’m going back to life as I know it. Don’t worry, I’m going to be fine.”
“Whatever you say, missie, but we’re going to discuss this more this week when we go out of town,” Asher said with a wink. “This is a step in the right direction. Time to branch out, but that doesn’t mean I’m still not pissed and you don’t have to be cautious. I don’t like being kept in the dark.”
We are so not discussing this when we’re away because I’m going to be forgetting Carson.
Sienna’s time to head out to the stage was up. She went with a cat suit again tonight. Her hair was still down like earlier, soft waves rippling through the golden-hued lengths. Her suit, a white opalescent second skin on her curves, a zipper running the entire length of the bodice, only exposed a tiny bit of her neck and chest at the moment, and she’d chosen sparkly gold platforms for her feet. Her makeup much heavier than usual, with cat eyes formed from her dark midnight-blue eyeliner and smoky-gray lids. Once she’d finished off her makeup with gold lip gloss, then smoothed shimmery lotion over every inch of her skin, Sienna was ready to titillate.
Heading up the braided ropes dangling from the ceiling, Sienna planned to start swaying from the rafters before moving around the stage, lingering more toward the pole, avoiding the front. She didn’t want to get caught up in Carson’s smile or dimples. She shouldn’t be so intrigued by him. He was just a man lusting after a stripper, and she was a young girl trapped in a stripper’s body trying to live her life. A life without conflict and definitely no love affairs.